TSR, Fre - A young American died in an avalanche Wednesday in Leysin, Valais. Thursday morning the bodies of two hikers, a 54-year-old Englishman and 55-year-old Scot, were found buried by an avalanche near Bruson, Valais, near Verbier after they were declared missing Wednesday. The snow corridor in which they were caught was 100 metres wide, 80m long and was set off at about 2,200m altitude.
The Swiss National Avalanche Bulletin has (continue reading)→
24 heures, Fre - Alpine rescue teams this weekend tested a new tool, Pulse Barryvox, that can do a 360 degree search for up to seven victims. Pilots from the Rega (helicopter rescue service) and Swiss Alpine Club volunteers were working together on pre-season training, carrying out rescue simulation exercises. The new tool will be added to more traditional search methods, including using dogs, and more recent ones such as avalanche victim detectors. Of the 180 persons rescued from avalanches every year in Switzerland, 40 die. The new service is determined to reduce that figure. (continue reading)→
Le Matin, Fre - Miss China's semi-finalists woke up this morning in Saignelégier, Jura, after a night of local food that included a very unChinese-like fondue and "boudin," a local specialty of entrails sausage that went mostly untouched. The 26 contestants are in Switzerland for the semi-finals of their national beauty contest, Tuesday 17 October in Leysin.
WRG-FM - A six-year-old fell to his death while climbing down a mountain path after a family picnic. He had been returning from from the Tour d’Aï, a peak near Leysin, holding his mother's hand, when he got down on all fours for a steep area, then slipped several hundred meters to his death.
